Floating action furniture support and relaxer

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION IS A MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND IMPARTING A FLOATING MOTION TO A BED, CARIB OR SIMILAR FURNITURE. THE STRUCTURE USED IS SIMPLY TWO CONNECTED TRUSS MEMBERS HAVING SPRING LOADED FURNITURE SUPPORTING CYLINDERS AT ENDS WITH RECIPROCATING CAM MEANS INTERMEDIATE ENDS, ADAPTED TO CAUSE THE FURNITURE TO RISE AND FALL WITH IN THE SPRING SUPPORTED CYLINDERS, THE RECIPROCATING CAMS BEING ECCENTRICALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER TO CAUSE A ROCKING MOTION TO THE FURNITURE. THE EFFECT IS THE SAME AS WOULD BE ACHIEVED BY A MOTHER ROCKING OR SHAKING A CRIB CONTAINING AN INFANT.

FLOATING AGTI ON FURNITURE SUPPORT AND RELAXER Filed March 7, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r Md "#161 INVENTOR BY semmes'andsemmes ATTORNEYS March 16, 1971 BENNETT 3,570,023

FLOATING ACTION FURNITURE SUPPORT AND RELAXER Filed March 7, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR app/0: A? 557/0277 BY semmesandsemmes ATTORNEYS United States Patent Olfice 3,570,023 FLOATING ACTION FURNITURE SUPPORT AN D RELAXER Gerald A. Bennett, 36 Draper St., Oswego, N.Y. 13126 Filed Mar. 7, 1969, Ser. No. 812,535 Int. 'Cl. A61g 7/00; A47d 9/02 US. Cl. -109 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention is a means for supporting and imparting a floating motion to a bed, crib or similar furniture. The structure used is simply two connected truss members having spring loaded furniture supporting cylinders at ends with reciprocating cam means intermediate ends, adapted to cause the furniture to rise and fall with in the spring supported cylinders, the reciprocating cams being eccentrically mounted with respect to each other to cause a rocking motion to the furniture. The effect is the same as would be achieved by a mother rocking or shaking a crib containing an infant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention Whereas the invention is described with particular reference to cribs and a crib is shown, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the system may be adapted to any furniture construction which is designed to support an occupant, said furniture construction including two or more supporting legs. For example, the particular reciprocatin truss assemblies may be adapted to chairs, couches, benches, hospital beds, and although not shown, it is clear that the construction could be portably mounted, so long as the central supporting reciprocating assemblies may be engaging similarly with the supporting surface, such as a floor and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In its broadest aspects, the invention may be described as plural truss assembly having furniture supporting cylinders at ends, the respective cylinders being spring loaded to support the legs of the furniture in floating relation to each other. Interconnected to the respecive truss assemblies are two eccentrics, each of which are by motor output adapted to cause the truss assemblies to rise and fall in opposed motion from one side of the furniture to the other, the legs of the furniture rising and falling consequently within the spring loaded supports at the ends of the truss assembly thereby yielding to the furniture a rocking or soft floating motion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of invention as adapted to a crib;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation View thereof;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of invention taken along the lines 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the reciproeating means and associated power unit;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view in fragment of invention taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view in fragment showing one leg supporting assembly;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings, the crib 110 having legs 112 is indicated generally by the reference numeral 100. The truss assemblies include horizontal tubes 122 having adjustable extensions 124 said extensions being engageable with the end supports as will be more fully described hereinafter. Truss members 126 are fixed to the tubes 122, said truss members being spatially set apart therefrom by the tubular element 128. Reference to FIGS. 1-3 inclusive.

Reference FIGS. 4-6 inclusive, the connecting reciprocating assembly 130 includes the cam housings 132, 132', said cam housings being adapted to rest on the floor or bed supporting surface in alignment both vertically and horizontally with the leg supporting extensions 140. These housings 132 provide journal support for the driven axle 134, to which are keyed, intermediate ends thereof the cams 136, 136', said cams having reciprocating engagement with the pistons 138, 138', said pistons being adapted to drive, reference FIG. 7, the piston rod 138 upwardly and downwardly, whereby to impart reciprocating motion to the truss assembly. It will be noted with especial reference to FIG. 5 that the eccentrics 136, 136 are offset 180 from each other thereby insuring a rocking motion to the overall assembly. The power for the unit is applied by motor via drive gear 152, to the pinion 154, all as indicated. For means of facile assembly, the respective elements 134 and 134' comprising the axle may be threaded as for example, at the extension 134', the same to have engagement with a suitable sleeve, shown. Likewise, the cover components of this assembly may be adjustably disposed with respect to each other, all as broadly indicated.

Reference FIGS. 8 and 9, the furniture legs 112 are secured to the plural supports 140 by the flange 148, indicated at the upper extremity thereof, said flange having contact with the spring housing 144, said housing having slidable containment in the support 140. The support 140 at one inner extremity thereof is flanged to accommodate the means of securing the leg support assembly 140 to the truss extension 124. The truss extension 124 is indicated to be adjustably associated with respect to the tubular member 122, all as indicated.

From the aforementioned, it will be appreciated that on each side of the bed or similar furniture, the leg units are floatingly secured in a lifting truss assembly, which said truss assembly is reciprocable by cam action disposed essentially at the center of the truss assembly, the cam assembly being powered by an attached driving shaft which is preferably driven by an in-line motor construction and simple transmission, the driving shaft is driven by a ratio motor attached to one of the cam assemblies, as will be indicated, the cam on either side of the overall assembly being set apart, whereby as one is rotated to expose its lowermost face to the truss engaging piston, the entire unit is depressed and on the opposite side thereof, the unit is raised, providing a floating motion to the overall unit which said floating motion is ensured by the spring supports which are engaging each of the legs at ends of the respective truss assemblies.

Obviously, variations in the rocking movement may be achieved by offsetting the eccentrics of the cams at any degree, from 1 to 359 to give a varied lifting and lowering motion. In practice, as shown, the ratio motor drive is adapted to move at 20 r.p.m.s. Other speeds would be suitable for other purposes.

From the aforementioned, it will be appreciated that the system may be adapted to various other types of furniture without departing from the spirit of invention, in which I claim:

1. In combination with a plural leg-supported furniture structure, the improvement comprising:

(A) opposed furniture sustaining truss assemblies hav- 3 ing fixed support at respective ends and intermediate respective ends thereof;

(B) reciprocating means comprising individual cams, each of which is offset from the other in variable degree, said cams engaging respectively each said truss assembly medially thereof, to yield variable lifting and lowering motion to the furniture structure;

(C) each of said respective truss assemblies including flexible connection at ends thereof between furniture legs and fixed supports;

(D) drive means engagin said reciprocating means for causing movement, said drive means being stationary.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 in which the truss assemblies are two in number, each said truss assembly having floating spring connection with truss feet, the sprin connection being in alignment with legs of the bed structure and the reciprocating means and the feet all being fixed in position relative to each other and to the floor.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 in which the cams are offset 180 from each other.

4. The improvement according to claim 2 in which the cams are offset 180 from each other.

5. The improvement of claim 1 in which the furniture sustaining assemblies are extensively adjustable.

6. The improvement according to claim 2 in which the furniture sustaining assemblies are extensively adjustable.

7. The improvement according to claim 3 in which the furniture sustaining assemblies are extensively adjustable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,765,478 10/1956 Pinto 5109X 3,235,891 2/1966 Chade et al. 5-109X 3,378,859 4/1968 Parker 5109 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 562 

